Suggestions on DCC equipment


N-gager

N-gager

Member
Considering going to DCC - being a complete novice I know nothing about DCC controllers etc.

Since my needs are simple and my layout is small (w two trains) I figure a starter set is probably all I'll ever need.

That being said;

The units that 'fit my budget' are:

MRC 1422 Prodigy Explorer
NCE 524046 (DCC Twin) - I like the two controller feature on this model.
Bachmann 44902 EZ
Digitrax Zephr Extra - I like the option this one gives by letting you use a DC controller as a second throttle.

Can't afford to buy a 'lemon' so what do you guys/gals recommend?
 
N-gager,

I have a Digitrax Super Chief Starter System and an NCE Power Cab Starter System. Of the two, I would totally recommend the NCE System for cost, ease of setup and use and the readability of the instructions.

If the Power Cab Starter System isn't to your liking then I would go with an NCE System over a Digitrax or Bachmann any day. I can't comment on the MRC as I know nothing about them, but understand that they are "similar" to the NCE systems.
 
N-gager said:
Since my needs are simple and my layout is small (w two trains) I figure a starter set is probably all I'll ever need. The units that 'fit my budget' are:

MRC 1422 Prodigy Explorer
NCE 524046 (DCC Twin) - I like the two controller feature on this model.
Bachmann 44902 EZ
Digitrax Zephr Extra - I like the option this one gives by letting you use a DC controller as a second throttle.

Can't afford to buy a 'lemon' so what do you guys/gals recommend?
Click to expand...
I don't know that any are lemon's so to speak.

I have an NCE Twin. Good unit. The only issue with it is that the locomotive channels are preset. That is the loco has to be programmed to be loco "A" and the other "B". At one time I figured out which DCC channels those were. Don't remember now. When/if you add another throttle to the set it changes that. It is expandable. I don't know that it can do much more programming than the channel numbers. The instruction manual is only 8 pages long. I bought this unit for my father to use on the train table he had in the nursing home.

I have a Digitrax Zephyr. Good Unit. The jumper throttles saved me once at a train show. Somehow I had forgotten the real throttles, but I was able to grab a cheapo Tyco power pack and use it on the jumper port to control one of the trains. I also like the little box with the throttle on it. I opened mine and added a big chunk of weight just so it wouldn't move every time I reached for it. It is also expandable.

I actually thought you could also get a NCE Power cab for the same price as a Zephyr. No? That seems to be the most popular among folks who post here and are on a budget.

I have never used a Prodigy or Bachmann EZ, so I'm no help there. All my other DCC systems are the top of the line type.
 
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Thanks for all the comments. I ended up ordering a NCE 524046 (DCC Twin). I also bit the bullet and ordered a couple of dcc engines and a few more cars to have two trains.
That leaves me with a DC loco I may try to convert later (another thread).

Thanks all!

 
I think my DCC stock was up to about a dozen engines before I installed my first decoder. I love to tinker with things but never found the need to modify any of my DC stock because I had plenty of others to entertain me. Then I found a "complete" military train (I think it was on FeeBay) and decided to 'upgrade' it - It was a simple conversion and the train runs fine.

Get a little experience running your DCC layout and if it's what you want, find/buy a cheap DC engine and go for it :)
 
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